The draft Law on special administrative-economic units in Vietnam (hereinafter called the special zones) is of particular interest to the public. Three proposed special zones are Van Don (Quang Ninh), Bac Van Phong (Khanh Hoa) and Phu Quoc (Kien Giang). They all play a strategically important role in the nation’s socio-economic development, as well as defence and security. Thanks to favorable natural conditions and a temperate climate, there is potential to develop several internationally competitive industries on the condition that appropriate and preeminent economic, administrative and judicial institutions and policies are provided. The establishment of three special zones in Vietnam will create many opportunities, as well as pose big challenges to the national socio-economic development in the coming time.

Climate change has had huge impact on people's daily lives in many parts of Vietnam, including some districts of Hoa Binh Province. Against this background, several resettlement policies have been implemented to reduce damage and influence caused by natural disasters on people. These programs, while designed to protect people’s lives, pose a challenge of job creation to the resettled people in new residential areas. This paper investigates the employment situation of resettled people in Hoa Binh Province (a case study at Bao Hieu Commune, Yen Thuy District), as well as discusses some policy issues on accessibility to stable and well-paid job opportunities.

The participation of people is one of the indispensable factors in the effective implementation of public policies, including new rural development programs. However, studies about local people’s participation in the public administration and new rural development in Vietnam have not so far been paid due attention, which has a certain impact on related institutional establishment and improvement. Based on preceding studies, this article examines the contents and forms of people’s participation in new rural development in Vietnam.

Cultural diplomacy proved a widely used and relatively effective diplomatic tool during the Cold War. Since then, it has constantly changed and developed to meet new requirements of the modern international situation. While traditional cultural diplomacy had previously focused on the diffusion of values and the increase of influence between East and West poles, modern cultural diplomacy is the combination of various goals in the increasingly complicated context. It not only supports the implementation of a country’s foreign policy but also contributes to resolving transnational issues.

The paper discusses the progress and results of the Republic of Korea’s cultural dissemination in China from the early 1990s to the present on the basis of sharing the foundations of Confucian culture and traditional Asian values. Based on the success of the Korean government in the field of cultural diplomacy interrupted more than four decades of Cold War, the paper draws on practical experience Vietnam could study and apply for its strategy of promoting “soft power” in China, which is in line with the new developments in East Asia in the 21st century.

China's global strategy for the 21st century, known as the “Belt and Road Initiative” (BRI), has posed major challenges to foreign policies of many countries in the world, both inside and outside the scope of this strategy. The paper aims at exploring the views and responses of the United States, India, Japan and Australia towards China’s grand strategy in connecting the three continents of Asia, Europe and Africa, to turn its ambition of becoming the world’s sole superpower into reality.